Can you identify this short story about a kitten found during breakfast?

May 13, 2009 1:26 PM

This question about eggs reminded me of a short story I read years and years ago. It features a kitten and breakfast.

The story was in an old collection for high school students I found in a secondhand shop, probably published in the 1960s at the latest. A fussy, stodgy middle-aged American man is sitting down to breakfast, which should usually consist of a perfectly soft-cooked three minute egg, but it's interrupted by his wife's discovery of a forlorn kitten under a bush in the backyard. Man's comfortable life is turned upside down when his wife adopts the kitten and is completely distracted (burnt toast and hard-cooked eggs!) but he eventually warms up to the kitten. The kitten is not eaten.

I can't remember anything else about the story, but it would be nice to find it. Any ideas?

posted by maudlin to writing & language (4 comments total)

Make with the funnies and unhelpful comments on the rest of MetaFilter and save AskMe for actual answers.

maudlin, if no one knows here you can always ask at Loganberry Books - their Stump the Bookseller section is fantastic.
posted by iconomy at 2:15 PM on May 13 [2 favorites has favorites]

I definitely remember this story, but can't place the author. Unfortunately I don't have any of my old textbooks with me any more. Can you tell us when you read it?
posted by Dr. Spaceman at 5:04 PM on May 13

Thanks, iconomy. If nothing comes up here, I'll check out that site. (I'm still looking for answers here, everyone else. Don't let that best answer marking dissuade you!)

Dr. Spaceman, I read it about 20 years ago, but it was a pretty old book, probably published in the 50s or 60s, 70s at the absolute latest. The story felt as if it was from the mid-twentieth century (I think the man worked in a bank, wore a suit and hat to work, his wife didn't work, etc.)
posted by maudlin at 5:26 PM on May 13

D'oh! I'm going to temporarily yank back the best answer marking because from the home page of AskMe, it looks as if the question has been answered. I'll put it back later. Hope springs, and all that ...
posted by maudlin at 5:31 PM on May 13